Madison Commons (https://madisoncommons.org/category/city-life/page/2/)
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Wisconsin Supreme Court temporarily suspends mailing of absentee ballots, Riley Vetterkind, Wisconsin State Journal, Sept. 11. State Supreme Court puts pause on Dane County public health order barring in-person school, Scott Girard, Capital Times, Sept. 10. COVID-19
Madison hospitals restrict visitors due to recent surge of COVID-19 cases in Dane County, Elizabeth Beyer, WSJ, Sept.
Beginning August 23, 2020 Madison Metro Transit resumed a roughly 85% level of regular service (revenue hours), a huge improvement over its much leaner "essential" routing that began near the end of March. At that time, Madisonians got to see how essential it is to have a public transit system that continues to operate, even during a pandemic, and even in a much-reduced form.
For Everett Mitchell, a Dane County Circuit Court Judge since 2016, one of the traits that he says makes a good judge is curiosity.
“It's never rubberstamping what people do, but rather be curious upon every hearing that you have. As long as you remain curious, you continue to ask the right questions, the best questions, the thoughtful questions and you push," he says, "and the community can bring the best out of what we can do."
COVID-19
Wisconsin's positive test rate nears 12% as 15 more die, Robert Chappell, Madison365, Sept. 5. UW-Madison orders nine sororities, fraternities with positive COVID-19 cases to quarantine, Kelly Meyerhofer, Wisconsin State Journal, Sept. 5; UW students make up a quarter of Dane County COVID cases, Yvonne Kim, Capital Times, Sept. 4.
Kenosha and Protests
Hundreds of protesters in Madison demand justice for Jacob Blake, Elizabeth Beyer, Wisconsin Journal Sentinel, August 30; Family, community leads rally for Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Lee Newspapers, August 29. 'It's surreal in the worst possible way': Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha a time of reckoning on race, police, Bill Glauber and Ricardo Torres, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, August 30. Trump to visit Kenosha Tuesday, Lee Newspapers and AP, August 30. Wisconsin Black Caucus members on police reform bills, Carousel Bayrd, "A Public Affair," WORT-FM, August 25. COVID-19
Positive test rate remains above nine percent in Wisconsin, six more die, Robert Chappell; Dane County adds 60 coronavirus cases, 61% ages 10-29, Stephanie Diaz de Leon, Madison365, August 29.
The protest in downtown Madison began peaceful, with protesters chanting “Black Lives Matter,” and ended, many hours later, with fires and vandalism to downtown businesses. Madison365's Fatoumata Ceesay was there to take pictures and report:
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Thousands mourn 11-year old shooting victim Anisa Scott at march and funeral, Elizabeth Beyer and Tamia Fowlkes, Wisconsin State Journal, August 22. COVID-19
Positive coronavirus test rate in Wisconsin jumps to 10.9% as 950 more cases and 13 deaths confirmed, Robert Chappell; Dane County passes 5,000 total cases with 53 new reported Saturday, Stephanie Díaz de Leon, Madison365, August 22. New public health order requires grades 3-12 to begin virtually in Dane County schools, Scott Girard, Capital Times, August 21. Madison and Dane County
Madison Public Market funding sources in question due to coronavirus, Abigail Becker, CT, August 20. Madison cracks down on speeding, drag racing on East Washington Ave., Dean Mosiman, August 20.
COVID-19 has brought forth a variety of issues for the country to address: access to healthcare, racial equity, and educational opportunity. However, one unforeseen and lesser acknowledged consequence of this virus is the pandemic of domestic abuse which has raged across the country. With Wisconsin’s COVID-19 infection rates regularly fluctuating, there is little certainty regarding when the state and regular business functions will return back to normal. For survivors of domestic abuse, especially women, this experience has brought forth a multitude of life-threatening challenges to combat in addition to staying physically healthy. “We are already seeing that people losing their jobs and not having a lot of income is creating a lot of stress for families and amplifying these issues,” said Shannon Barry, Executive Director of Domestic Abuse Intervention Services (DAIS), a Madison-based non-profit which has served victims of domestic abuse since 1977.
During the 2008 Recession, the center experienced a 107 percent increase in people reaching out for shelter services, Barry said.
COVID-19
No good options: As virus rages, parents face tough choices, Chris Hubbuch, Wisconsin State Journal, August 16. 13 more coronavirus deaths, positive test rate dips; Dane County confirms 35 new coronavirus cases and one death, Robert Chappell and Stephanie Diaz de Léon, Madison365, August 15. The wild card in UW-Madison's reopening plan: Student behavior, Kelly Meyerhofer, WSJ, August 14. Madison and Dane County
Unity March planned to honor, celebrate life of Anisa Scott, Logan Rude, Channel3000, August 16; Mayor says gun violence needs 'citywide' response following 11-year old's death, Abigail Becker, Capital Times, August 13; MMSD School Board President Gloria Reyes issues statement on recent gun violence in Madison, Madison365, August 13. Dane County pulls out of agreement with state; plan to close Lincoln Hills in jeopardy, Elizabeth Beyer, WSJ, August 16.
With so many sports canceled during the coronavirus pandemic, people are left wondering what they can do to move their bodies other than walk their dog, jog, bike or maybe play a little tennis. People wonder if spikeball and basketball are OK to enjoy, and even soccer doesn’t feel quite right. But there is one community of athletes in town that is enjoying the ride mask-free: The kiteboarders.